Current shift patterns in Hampshire fire brigade are the best for public safety, according to a leading firefighter on the picket line outside Eastleigh fire station.

John Jowitt who lives in Winchester has been a firefighter for 21 years and says the Bain report's recommendations for shift changes and other modernisation of Britain's fire service are mistaken.

Mr Jowitt and his colleagues believe the report had reached the wrong conclusions because it had not been properly researched.

Mr Jowitt (40) was scornful of a 20% reduction in full-time posts suggested by deputy prime minister John Prescott.

"That's going to mean station closures and reduction in manning, which will mean a greater number of fire deaths," Mr Jowitt said.

The military's supposed success with Green Goddesses was due to striking firefighters who were continuing to do the difficult work.

"The soldiers stand on the outside and squirt water in," he said. "The vast majority of rescues are being done by fire service personnel coming off the picket lines."

Eastleigh firefighters had broken their picket line that morning, to attend a road accident, he said.

And colleagues in Winchester have been doing the same. Last Friday they rescued a man from a car after it struck a tree in Monkwood, Ropley. And two women were rescued from the wreckage of their car after it was involved in an accident with a coach on the A343 at Hurstbourne Tarrant near Andover on Saturday. Also on Saturday firecrews attended a house fire in Winchester after it was believed people may have been trapped inside the property in Gordon Avenue. Finally on Wednesday firefighters broke their picket to free a man trapped in his car after it crashed at Lovedon lane, Kings Worthy.

Mr Jowiit said the only reason a full fire engine crew remained on picket duty every night at fire stations across the county was to be ready to save lives.

Mr Jowitt explained why he had decided to speak to the Chronicle. "We're here, providing what amounts to a free fire service, and then we're getting slagged off in the national press every day."

As the rain bucketed down he spoke to our reporter in a lean-to tent set up against the front of the fire station.

A trestle table was stacked with soup cartons, sweets and other food given by well-wishers. Donated cash had been added to a strike fund.

The strikers acknowledge the many horn toots from sympathetic motorists passing the junction with the M3.

"The tooting is important for us. It's a long day and long night when you're stood outside. It gives us a psychological boost."

Mr Jowitt said Government plans to make cuts to the fire service had been on the cards for years.

Similar plans in Essex, Manchester and Surrey had been fought by earlier strikes by FBU members in those areas. "It wasn't done for firefighters themselves. These cuts would mean a reduction in public safety. That's why members were balloted and chose strike action"

He feared fewer firefighters in Hampshire would mean more fire stations closing and more reliance on retained firefighters rushing to emergency calls from their homes.

He claimed that would mean around four precious minutes lost as fires spread, as victims were asphyxiated by smoke, and as trapped road accident casualties awaited surgery.

Mr Jowitt said firefighters were already trained in first aid and were not against carrying defibrillators.

But they did object to the "economic nonsense" of sending a fully-crewed fire appliance to attend an ambulance case, claiming that would eventually lead to cuts in the ambulance service.

Mr Jowitt is continuing his second job, as a window-cleaner, when he is not spending his normal fire service hours on the picket line.

But in the chilly tent outside the fire station, another firefighter interrupted to say that he, like many others, had no second job.

"I have a young family," the man said. "The strike's hitting me really hard at the moment."